Kianta Key placed a hair bead on a makeshift altar set up as a tribute to Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller near the Georgia state Capitol. Key said the hair bead represents the “beauty of who they were.” Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder
The deaths of Candi Miller and Amber Thurman are not just tragedies that happen to other people—they’re personal. Their stories shake me to my core, and I feel a deep, visceral connection to what they endured. It’s hard not to see my reflection in their struggles, and harder still to acknowledge that, if circumstances had been different, I could have been them. These women—like so many others—died because they didn’t have access to the care they needed. That fact is both heart-wrenching and infuriating. I can’t help but think: That could have been me.
I was 19 when I became pregnant. It wasn’t something I wanted; in fact, it was the result of being raped by my ex. I was trapped in a violent, abusive relationship, and the pregnancy felt like another layer of imprisonment—a constant reminder of the trauma I was living through. I didn’t want to be pregnant. I didn’t want to carry my abuser’s child. Every day was a nightmare. The fear and shame of being stuck in such a horrific situation were suffocating.
I remember feeling overwhelmed by the options—the lack thereof. Thankfully, I was able to access care that allowed me to make the choice that was right for me, but what if I hadn’t? The thought of being forced to carry that pregnancy to term is terrifying, and not just because of the emotional and psychological toll it would have taken on me. Physically, I wasn’t in a good place either. I faced serious complications, just as Candi and Amber did. I know, without a doubt, that without access to proper care, I could have lost my life.
When I hear about women like Candi Miller and Amber Thurman, my heart breaks. These were women who, like me, found themselves in desperate circumstances. They needed help, but the system failed them. The healthcare, the support, and the access that saved my life were denied to them, and because of that, they’re gone. They weren’t just statistics or cautionary tales—they were people, with hopes, dreams, and loved ones. They deserved better.
Their deaths are a glaring reminder of the injustices that exist in our society, particularly for people who are already vulnerable. Many people are left without options because of financial limitations, restrictive laws, or a lack of nearby resources. And for some, like Candi and Amber, the result is fatal. These women died because they couldn’t get the help they needed, and that’s a tragedy that should enrage us all.
What makes it even more painful is knowing how preventable their deaths were. It’s 2024, and yet, we still live in a world where women die due to a lack of access to basic reproductive healthcare. It’s not just a failure of the healthcare system—it’s a failure of humanity. Candi and Amber were not asking for anything outrageous. They were asking for the right to make decisions about their own bodies and for the care that would allow them to do so safely. That’s something every person deserves.
For me, this fight is personal. I will never forget the fear and desperation I felt during my first pregnancy. I know what it feels like to be trapped, to feel like you have no options. I also know what it feels like to survive, and I owe that survival to the access I had to care. But what if I hadn’t had that access? What if the clinics had been too far away, too expensive, or simply unavailable because of some draconian law? That’s the terrifying reality that women like Candi and Amber face.
Their deaths are not just tragedies—they’re calls to action. Their stories remind me why it’s so important to fight for reproductive rights, for safe and accessible healthcare, and for a world where no one is forced into a situation they can’t escape from. I refuse to stand by and watch as more people are failed by the system. I refuse to let the deaths of Candi Miller and Amber Thurman be in vain.
Their lives mattered. Their struggles mattered. And their deaths are a reminder that we still have so far to go. I will continue to fight, not just for myself, but for them, and for every person who has ever been forced into a situation where their health and their life are on the line. We deserve better. Candi and Amber deserved better. And I’ll keep pushing until we all get the care and compassion we deserve.